This invention relates to hand-activated waste and refuse retrieval devices, especially the type which is useful for retrieving pet litter and refuse.
In large urban areas pet owners walk their pets, usually dogs, and local ordinances have been enacted which require that such owners clean up after their pets. Thus there is a need for devices for quickly and sanitarily cleaning up after a pet.
In many urban areas it is also required that the animal be kept on a leash so that the owner will always have control of the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,084 discloses a hand-operated shovel for picking up refuse, which is generally directed at the same problem. However, the device disclosed therein requires the use of two hands in a rotary motion in order to operate the device. This can be inconvenient to use and could present some problems in connection with maintaining control of the pet on the leash. Furthermore, the device appears to be relatively complex in construction and could be expensive to mass produce.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a clean-up device which does not require two-handed operation and a device which is less expensive to construct.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,554,911 discloses a garden tool for grasping or picking up objects at a distance. The device is operated with only a single hand, but its jaws are biased toward a normally open position requiring the operator to act against the biasing force in order to maintain a grasp on the object. Furthermore, the device appears to be fabricated from a number of parts and could also be expensive to manufacture.
It is an object of this invention to provide a refuse retrieval device which the user activates only in order to retrieve the refuse and which can be released after retrieval and still retain a grasp on the litter or other object.
It is also an object to provide an apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture.
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.